" I have heard it said," Ma Yu went on," that this woman has lost her mind, and that she is, rather, worthy of pity. If she herself repents of her past sins, if she promises to no longer harm the innocent, and that furthermore she will not trouble the Jiangnan Odd Six, well, we could let her continue living because our departed master formerly had respectful relations with the master of Peach Blossom Island. Brother Qiu, you are the friend of the Odd Six; you should go to speak to them, to ask them to no more try and seek a reckoning with her. If both parties make an effort, the vendetta can extinguish itself."

This time, he spoke without using his internal energy, in order that there did not appear to be such a great power difference between the others and himself.

" That is easy," replied Zhu Cong. " The problem is knowing if Mei Chaofeng will agree to correct herself, or not."

Suddenly, an icy voice was heard:

" Many thanks to the Quanzhen Seven for their benevolence! I am here, Mei Chaofeng, in person!"

Suddenly and surprisingly, she appeared. Ma Yu had hoped to frighten her and to make her leave, that she would regret her deeds and would amend her ways. But confident in her new power, she had the audacity to come and confront her opponents directly.

" Being a woman," said Mei Chaofeng, " I would not dare to contest myself against the Taoist masters. But for a long time I have admired the gongfu of the Lady of Purity and Stillness, I ask the honour to measure myself to her."

Armed with her whip, she stood on guard, waiting for Han Xiaoying's response.

At that moment, Guo Jing was acutely aware that Huazheng had fallen to the ground, motionless. Having grown up with her, he held for the girl the affection of an elder brother. Without a moment's reflection, without even worrying about the terrifying presence of Mei Chaofeng, he leaped out and freed Huazheng. With a left hook, the 'Iron Corpse' seized his left wrist. Now, with Ma Yu, Guo Jing had practiced orthodox Taiost inner energy for two years, and his healthy body was strengthened by a natural force. With his right hand, he propelled Huazheng towards Han Xiaoying, while he pivoted his left hand with force and released himself from Mei's control. She, who possessed extremely swift skills, felt Guo Jing escape and advanced her hand immediately to recapture him. This time, she held him firmly, compressing the joint of the principal artery of his arm, so well that he could no longer move.

" Who are you? she demanded in a terrible voice.

" Zhiping," cried Zhu Cong, "listen!"

Guo Jing, who was already panicked because he could not free himself, was going to reply instinctively "I am Guo Jing!" when he heard the warning of Zhu Cong.

Although he had repeated those words thirty or forty times, in his panic he was not able to say it without stammering.

" He is only a simple apprentice," Mei Chaofeng said to herself, " and his neigong already is capable: not only did he succeed in saving someone under my nose, but he has even been able to release himself from my first stroke! I think it's better that I retreat this time."

She dropped his hand. Guo Jing itself hastily returned to his masters: five marks were deeply inlaid into the flesh of his left arm! He knew well that she had not used all her power, otherwise his wrist already would have been broken.

Mei Chaofeng did not dare anymore to challenge the false Sun Bu'er, that was played by Han Xiaoying. She suddenly asked:

" Taoist Master Ma, what is the meaning of 'Lead and mercury preserve well'?"
" Lead is heavy," responded Ma Yu automatically, " it resembles the kidneys; the mercury is liquid, it is a metaphor for internal warming. « Lead and mercury preserve well» means that it is good to stabilize the kidneys and to extinguish the internal fire, in order to obtain results from meditation."

" And what is the meaning of "Babe of the girl Cha"?" pursued Mei Chaofeng.

Ma Yu suddenly became aware that she asked for him to explain secret formulas of neigong!

" Heretical witch," he cried, " Do not try to to extract the secrets of my sect from me! Leave quickly!"

Mei Chaofeng laughed:

" Thank you for your pointers, Taoist Master!"

She suddenly leapt, armed with her silvery whip, and she glided to the bottom of the cliff at an unbelievable speed. Those remaining looked on, themselves relieved, glad to have escaped. Far away, in the desert, a shadow went spinning away like a phantom.

Ma Yu unsealed Huazheng's acupoints, thus returning her ability to move. The girl laid herself on a boulder to rest.

" In ten years," said Zhu Cong, "that woman made such progress that if the Taoist Master had not lent us a strong hand today, our account would have been settled!

Ma Yu responded modestly, but his eyebrows were gathered, as if an inner worry tormented him.

" If there is some task to finish," said Zhu Cong, " we are not capable of great things, but we can at least do your bidding. Do not hesitate therefore to ask it of us."

" By my oversight," said Ma Yu, " I was trapped by that crafty woman!"

" Were you injured by a secret weapon?" demanded the Six.

" No," replied Ma Yu, " it is nothing like that. That time she asked me a question, I replied without thinking, and I fear that it might result in further evil."

His friends were perplexed and seemed not to understand. The Taoist explained:

" The external technique of Iron Corpse has already reached a level that we cannot even imagine. Even if my brothers Qiu and Wang really had been present here, we might not have been able to overcome her. That the Master of Peach Blossom Island succeeded in producing a disciple of such strength...that indicates his own power. Only the neigong of Mei Chaofeng is not at all advanced. I do not know where she succeeded finding secret formulas to practice the Taiost neigong, but without pointers from a master, she was not able to understand them. That time, she asked me to explain a formula, of which lack of understanding had to have arrested her progression. I realized something was wrong and did not reply to her second question, but my first explanation would already allow her to make great progress in her neigong."

" Let us only hope," said Han Xiaoying, " that she will regret her past crimes and no more do evil."

" May it be thus! says Ma Yu. " Otherwise, if her neigong becomes stronger, it will be yet more difficult to contain... Ah, this is my fault, I was too naïve, for not distrusting her..."

After a moment's thought, he continued:

" One thing intrigues me. The skills of the Peach Blossom Island are completely different to those of Taoism. Yet, nonetheless, these two formulas that she quoted correspond precisely to our Taoist neigong. How that is it possible?"

At this point in time, Huazheng suddenly leapt off her boulder:

" Ah!" she cried, "Guo Jing! Father did not believe me, he left to go to To'oril!"

" Why?" Guo Jing asked.

" I explained to him," said Huazheng, " that Uncle Senggüm and Uncle Jamuqa plotted against him. He then burst out laughing, saying that not wanting to marry Dushi, I invented lies! I said to him that you had heard it with your own ears, but he did not want to believe it, saying even that he would punish you on his return. I saw him leave with my three elder brothers and a small escort, then I hurried to come to find you. But on the way, that blind woman caught me. She wanted to bring me to see you, isn't that right?"

" If we had not been here," said the Six ominously," you already would have had five holes in your skull!"

" When did the Khan leave?" demanded Guo Jing anxiously.

" A long time ago", responded Huazheng. " Father said that he wanted to arrive as soon as possible. He did not even wait for sunrise to leave. Their horses are very quick, they must be far away now. Is it really true that Uncle Senggüm wants to harm Father? What will we do?"

She herself began to weep. As this was the first time of his life that he found himself confronted with a matter so grave, Guo Jing was himself all distraught.

"Jing-er," said Zhu Cong, " Quickly descend the cliff: you take your small red horse and rescue the Khan. Even if it is not true, let us first send someone to ascertain Senggüm's. Huazheng, will you ask your brother Tolui to muster troops and to carry itself to rescue your father."

Guo Jing agreed with recognition and quickly descended the cliff. Ma Yu went next descending with Huazheng while hanging on to a long rope.

The young man dashed to his yurt, mounted his horse and they set off in a frantic gallop.

At that moment, the sun started to rise. Guo Jing, very worried, said: "I fear that the Khan might already have fallen into Senggüm's trap, then it will be impossible to rescue him!"

The small red horse loved to run off its bridle, and its heart danced in joy. It galloped more and more quickly on the plain. Fearing that it would fall, Guo Jing tried to rein it in a little, but the animal wanted nothing to do with it, and rushed on while whinnying in joy. Besides, even at great speed, it did not seem to show no signs of fatigue.

After more than two hours' galloping, Guo Jing slowed his mount to rest a little. Then they continued upon their way. One hour later, they saw far away three cohorts of riders, three squadrons, it seemed.

While approaching, he recognized the standards of To'oril: the riders advanced themselves, arrows on string and sabres drawn, ready for battle.

" The Khan is further on," lamented Guo Jing, " but his line of retreat already is cut!" He pressed his thighs and his horse raced on like an arrow, passing To'oril's troops. They cried for him to stop, but he was already far gone.

Guo Jing do not dare to linger. He discerned again three squadrons lying in wait, before he saw, raised far away, the high plume of white feathers that signaled the presence of Temüjin. Escorted by several hundred riders, they rode tranquilly heading for the north.

Guo Jing rose to his full height and cried:

" Great Khan! Stop, you mustn't go on!"

Temüjin halted, taken aback:

"Why is this?"

Guo Jing him recounted what he had heard in the camp of Senggüm, and explained that his line of retreat had been cut. Temüjin glanced at him skeptically, not knowing whether he should believe it: " I never got along well with that fool Senggüm," he said to himself, " but my adopted father To'oril needs me now. And Jamuqa is my sworn brother! How could they plot against me? Unless this is the Sixth Jin Prince trying to sow dissension?"

He hesitated, and Guo Jing said suddenly:

" Great Khan, you have only to send someone back the way that you have just travelled and you will see..."

Since childhood, Temüjin had lived in the middle of plots and treacheries, he had survived hundreds of battles thanks to his bravery and his caution. Even though he had said that it was absolutely impossible that To'oril and Jamuqa could have allied themselves against him, he said: " To be careful ten thousand times is not serious; but to die by carelessness one time is."

He then ordered his second son, Jagataï, to leave with Tchila'un. The two men went back over the way they had come.

His escort was made up of from some hundreds of men, but they were all elite soldiers and officers. Without needing other orders, they dug trenches, raised barricades, and got ready to withstand a siege.

Shortly after, one saw dust clouds rising in the south, raised by several thousands of riders that galloped in pursuit of Jagataï and Tchila'un. Jebe had particularly good eyesight and distinguished the banners of the pursuers.

" They are the soldiers of To'oril" he shouted.

These had divided themselves in several detachments and tried to surround Jagataï and Tchila'un. The two men leaned on their saddles, and desperately whipped their mounts.

" Guo Jing!" cried Jebe. " To their aid!"

Both of them descended the hill. The small red horse, glad to meet its herdmates, arrived quickly to the front of Tchila'un. Guo Jing loosed three arrows with a rush of wind, cutting down the three closest soldiers, before interposing himself between pursuers and pursued, continuing to fire his arrows in all directions. Jebe had arrived also and his arrows flew again, swift and deadly. Nevertheless, the men of To'oril, too numerous, rushed forward like an irresistible tide.

Jagataï, Tchila'un, Jebe and Guo Jing at last reached the hill, while their companions dropped a rain of arrows on their pursuers. They did not dare to launch a frontal attack, and for the moment, waited out of range.

Standing on the hill, Temüjin observed the surroundings. Soon, the To'oril regiments came rushing from all directions. Under a yellow flag, a man climbed onto a great horse: it was Senggüm, son of To'oril. The Khan well knew that it was impossible to break the encirclement, and that it was better to stall.

" Why is Brother Senggüm afraid to approach and parley?" he cried.

Under the protection of his guards, that covered him with their shields, Senggüm approached, confident and arrogant:

" For generations and generations, said Senggüm, " the Mongolians lived in separated tribes, at the heart of which the flocks were spread and divided in common. Why do you want to run counter to the traditions of our ancestors, while mixing the tribes? My father says often that you are wrong to want to do that."

" Us Mongols," replied Temüjin, " are under the oppression of the Jin Empire, that demands of us, each year, a tribute of tens of thousands of head of cattle. Is this just? If that continues, we all will starve to death! If we do not battle between ourselves, why should we be afraid of the Jin Empire? I have always maintained good relations with my adopted father, there is no hatred between our two families. All that is the fault of the Jin, who want to sow disunity between us!"

The soldiers of Senggüm, hearing this debate, found that his words had reason.

" Us Mongolians are valiant warriors," pursued Temüjin, " why should we not go and take the treasures of the Jin? Why should we furnish tributes every year? Among the Mongolians, there are some that work a lot to husband the herds, and there are lazy ones. Why should those that tire themselves at work nourish those that do not do nothing? Why should those that sweat not have more head of cattle, and of sheep? Why do they not leave the lazy ones to die of hunger?"

At that time, the Mongolians lived according to a kind of tribal socialism: their principal wealth, the cattle, belonged to all. Now, during the last years, the flocks had increased themselves. The tribes had equally learned from the Chinese to work iron, for the manufacture of tools and weapons. Most of the shepherds wished to keep the wealth that they produced for themselves, just like the warriors that, at the risk of their lives, won battles, and did not want to divide prisoners and loot with those that did not go to war. Thus, these matters spoken of by Temüjin went right to the heart of all the soldiers.

Seeing Temüjin begin to influence his men, Senggüm cried:

" Cast down your weapons at once and give yourself up! Otherwise, it will take but a signal of my whip to rain down ten thousand arrows! You have no chance of escape!"

Guo Jing saw that the situation had became critical, but did not know what to do. He suddenly beheld, at the foot of the hill, a young officer, his armor covered by a coat of grey fur, a sabre in his hand, who proudly paraded on his war steed. He recognized Dushi, the son of Senggüm, whom he had fought in childhood. He was a villanous rascal, that had wanted to unleash the leopards on Tolui. Guo Jing did not understand why this had happened, and especially not why To'oril, Senggüm and Jamuqa wanted to plot against Temüjin. "The Khan and To'oril always lived in harmony," he said to himself, " then this means that Dushi, at the instigation of the Sixth Jin Prince, has peddled misleading and malicious lies upon the others. If I capture him and force him to accept his lies, then everyone will be able to reconcile themselves!"

Spurring his small red horse, he descended the hill and taking advantage of the surprise of the soldiers, forced his way to Dushi.

Attacking with his blade, Guo Jing leaned himself out of his saddle, the blade held above his head, with his right hand he trapped the principal artery on the wrist of Dushi. It was a movement of the famed technique "Disconnect the sinews and undo the bones" perfected by Zhu Cong, how could Dushi have withstood it? With a pull, Guo Jing snatched him out of his saddle. He heard the hissing of heavy projectiles to his left, about to fall upon him. He pressed lightly with his knees, the small red horse obeyed immediately and flew like an arrow towards the hill.

The soldiers of Senggüm cried: " Fire arrows!" Guo Jing placed Dushi behind his back, using his body as a shield, so well that the enemies did not dare to fire.

Arriving at the summit of the hill, Guo Jing threw Dushi to the ground while laughing: " Great Khan, this rascal is surely the person responsible for this treachery! Let us make him acknowledge it!

Temüjin, very happy, pointed his lance on the chest of Dushi and shouted in the direction of Senggüm:

" Move back your men two hundred yards!!"

Senggüm, upset and worried to see his well armed son fallen to the hands of the enemy, not put that to do to back up his army. He ordered to encircle the hill by ordered ranks of wagons, so that the horsemen of Temüjin were unable to sally out.

On the hill, Temüjin praised Guo Jing warmly, and ordered him to tie the prisoner's hands behind his back.

On threee occasions, Senggüm sent a messenger to negotiate: if Temüjin released Dushi and went, his life would be spared. Each time, the Khan cut the ears of the messenger before he returned to his master.

The sun descended to the horizon. Fearing that Senggüm would use the dusk to attack, Temüjin ordered that all should redouble their vigilance.

Towards midnight, a man clothed in white went on foot to the bottom of the hill:

" I am Jamuqa," he cried. " I wish to see my sworn brother Temüjin."

" In that case, climb up!" said the Khan.

Jamuqa ascended slowly and beheld Temüjin standing at the top of the slope. He advanced and made to embrace him, but the Khan did not let his guard down and said roughly:

" You consider me again to be a brother?"

Jamuqa sighed and seated himself cross-legged.

" Brother," he said, " you already are the chief of a tribe, why do you have this excessive ambition to wish to unify all the Mongols?

" What do you believe?" replied Temüjin.

" The chieftains of the tribes say: our ancestors lived thus for hundreds of years, why does Temüjin want to change the traditions? Heaven will not allow it!"

" Do you yourself remember the history of our ancestor Lady Alan-Qo?" Temüjin said. " She had five sons that were in discord. She asked all of them to come eat with her. Then she gave an arrow to each, asking them to break it. This they did very easily. Next, she tied five arrows together, and demanded again that they break them. Each tried in turn, but none were able to break the five arrows. Do you recall what she said to them then?

" If you are disunited," said Jamuqa in a low voice, you can be broken by those of no importance, as a single arrow. If you unite yourself, you will be as solid as the five arrows together and no person will break you."

" Well," said Temüjin, " you yourself remember that. What then happened next?"

" Next the five sons united their efforts and conquered an immense territory. They are the ancestors of our Mongol tribes."

" Exactly! Both of us are brave and heroic, why not unite all the Mongolians? If we do not quarrel amongst ourselves, we will be sufficiently strong to destroy the Jin Empire!"

" How?" asked Jamuqa, " The Jin Empire is so powerful- its armies and wealth are innumerable! How could us Mongolians attack them?"

" Then you prefer to undergo the oppression of the Jin?"

" The Jin Empire does not oppress us," protested Jamuqa. " The emperor has even made you a "conquering general"!"

" At first," Temüjin said vigorously, " I believed also that they had good intentions. But the greed of the Jin has no limits, and each time they demand more of us: first they want cattle, next horses, and now they ask that we send soldiers to help them make war. But the country of the Song is far removed from our lands! Even if the Song dynasty falls, all the lands conquered will belong to Jin alone. We will lose warriors, to win what? Since when would our cattle stop eating the green grass of our plains to go eat the sand on the other side of the mountains? If we must battle, it should be only against the Jin Empire!"

" To'oril and Senggüm do not want to betray the Jin."

" To betray?" mocked Temüjin. " Betray? And you?"

" I beseech you, brother, not to let your anger get the better of you: release Dushi, and Senggüm, I myself will guarantee, will leave you to set off again in security."

" I have no confidence in Senggüm, and I have no confidence in you!"

" Hear the words of Senggüm," said Jamuqa. " If a son dies, other sons again can be born. If Temüjin dies, there will be no longer be another Temüjin in the world! If you do not release Dushi, you will never see another sunrise!"

Temüjin knew well the character of Senggüm and of Jamuqa. If it fell between their hands, he knew well that he would have no chance of survival, while, if To'oril was there, he might possibly live. He brandished his sabre and whirled around.

" I would rather die in battle," he cried, " than ever to surrender! Under heaven, there is only a Temüjin who will die on the field of honour, and no Temüjin that flees!"

Jamuqa said:

" You give the whole of the loot to the warriors, saying that it belongs for them, and not to the entire tribe. The chieftains of the tribes consider that you do wrong, that you run counter to our traditions."

" But the young warriors are delighted!" said Temüjin harshly. " The chieftains pretend that the treasures of war cannot be distributed equitably to each, so then they keep all for themselves. Such practices insult the warriors that risked their life to support them. When we are at war, do we need stupid and greedy chieftains, or do we need young courageous warriors?"

I will post it in the English thread when Patudo finishes the 6.1 and 6.2 part in the meanwhile you can read it here

Part 6.3
- Brother, said Jamuqa, you always acted on your own, without listening the leaders of the other tribes. Don't call me ungrateful or traitor: these last days, you didn't stop sending people to try to convince my soldiers to join your army, while saying that, once at home, the resources gained in the battle belong to the ones that fought for them, and that they won't be distributed between all the tribe's members. Did you believe that I didn't knew of it?
"If you are aware of it, thought Temüjin, then we won't ever live in peace with each other". He then took a small sachet out of his fob and threw it to the feet of Jamuqa :
- Here are the gifts that you offered me when we promised, by three times, fidelity. Take them. Later, when you cut my head with your saber, you will only kill an enemy, and not a sworn brother... I am a hero, you are also a hero. The plain of Mongolia is vast, but it cannot contain two heroes.
Jamuqa collected the sachet, took a small sachet of leather of his own fob, deposited it in silence to the feet of Temüjin, and moved away down the hill.
Temüjin looked at him while he move away and stayed a long time in silence. He then slowly opened the sachet, withdrew the stones and the tips of arrow of it, and he remembered the games that they played when they were children. He sighed, dug a hole with a dagger and buried the gifts of his ex-brother there.
Guo Jing was next to him, also with his heart broken: what Temüjin buried, he knew well, it was an infinitely precious childhood friendship.
The Khan stood up and watched far away: as far as he could see, fires lit by the soldiers of the armies of Senggüm and Jamuqa illuminated the plain, as the myriads of stars in the sky.
He remained dived in his thoughts, turned around and saw Guo Jing close to him.
- Are you afraid? he asked.
- I was thinking about my mother, answered the young man.
- Indeed, you are a brave, said Temüjin, a true brave!
He showed the thousands fires that illuminated the plain :
- They also, he continued, these are also brave! We, the Mongols, have so many braves, but everybody spends its time making themselves wars. If we could united our braves, we would take over the world and make it a huge field for our herds!
Guo Jing, while hearing these so ambitious words, only felt more of admiration for Temüjin. He stuck out the chest and said :
- Big Khan, we are going to win for sure, because we cannot be beaten by this coward of Senggüm!
- Precisely, answered Temüjin, the radiant face. Let's recall ourselves what we said tonight. If we manage to get away alive this time, I will consider you henceforth as my own son.
He then hugged the young man.
While they spoke, the day had risen. The horn sounded repeatedly in the ranks of the besiegers.
- The help won't come, said Temüjin. Let's prepare ourselves to die on this hill.
One heard in the adverse army the jangle of the weapons and the neighs of the horses: the attack was imminent.
- Big Khan, said Guo Jing suddenly, my red horse is extremely fast. Take it and bring back some help. During this time, we will remain here to face the enemies.
Temüjin smiles and stretched the hand to caress the hair of the young man :
- If Temüjin, he said, was capable of abandon his friends and his men to run away, fearing for his life, he wouldn’t be worthy of being your Khan anymore!
- It is true, Big Khan, recognized Guo Jing, I was wrong...
They protected themselves behind the some mounds of earth, ready to fire some arrows on the attackers.
Shortly after, preceded by a yellow standard, three men left the enemy's ranks and moved forward: on the left, Senggüm; on the right, Jamuqa; to the center, it was, oh surprise, the Sixth Prince of the Jin empire, Wanyan Honglie! Covered of an armor and a golden helmet, a shield of gold to the arm, and he shouted :
- Temüjin, do you dare to betray the big Empire Jin?
Jöchi, the eldest son of Temüjin, shot an arrow on him, a man of his escort seizes it in the air, with an astounding speed.
- Capture Temüjin! shouts Wanyan Honglie.
To these words, four men hurried upwards the hill.
Their movements caused a big surprise to Guo Jing: he noted, indeed, that the newcomers, who used a lightness technique, were experts in martial arts, and they weren’t warriors of the plains. Arrived to mid-hill, they avoided with agility the rain of arrows that Jebes, Bo'orchus and the others shoot. "We have officers and brave of great strength here, worried Guo Jing, but they wont ever be a match to experts in martial arts! What to do? "
One among them, clothed of black, bounds until the summit of the hill. Ögödei tried to stop him, but the newcomer hit his nape with a dart and stroke down with his saber the injured. However, in a lightning, a sword come down to hit his wrist, with a great speed and precision, a movement so well done that he was forced to move back three steps. Surprised, he saw a young man with a virile posture be held before Ögödei. Not expecting to find, among the soldiers of Temüjin, an expert swordsman, he exclaimed, in Chinese :
- Who are you? What is your name?
- I am called Guo Jing!
- Never heard to speak of you! Now surrender yourself! Guo Jing threw look around, and saw that the three other attackers were at the summit of the hill and already in a unarmed fight with Chila'un, Bo'orchus and the other. He then stroke the man of the saber. This one defended and retaliated.
The soldiers of Senggüm got ready to rush on the assault of the hill, when Muqali put his saber on the nape of Dushi :
- If you go up, he shouted, my blade will be without mercy! Senggüm, very worried, turned towards Wanyan Honglie :
- Lord, tell your men to come back, we will find another way! There’s no reason to wound my child!
- Don’t worry, says Wanyan Honglie while smiling, it won't happen anything to him!
He wanted to make Temüjin kill Dushi, in order to make a lasting hate between the two tribes.
The men of Senggüm didn't dare to move, while those of the Prince were in a violent fight.
Guo Jing used the technique of the sword of the Yue girl, that Han Xiaoying had taught him. After several exchanges, he was, to his big surprise, in a situation of inferiority: his strokes, full of lightness and agility, proved to be of little efficient against his adversary's heavy and powerful saber. The man was indeed clever, and seemed to have a consequent neigong. The Six Freaks, with their multiple gongfu and their vast experience, had shown to their disciple the essential of the martial arts of the different schools that they knew of. But the technique of this man's saber was particular and strange: a stroke carried on the right fell, by a weird movement, on the left! Guo Jing, powerless, didn't stop moving back. All of a sudden, he wondered: "Big Shifu often says that, in the fight, it is very important to take the initiative and not only suffer. For now I keep defending, do I therefore only suffer ?" Seeing a stroke of the saber arriving, he decided to not worry himself of it, and to concentrate on the attack, pushing his sword towards the enemy. This one seeing him so daring and a little preoccupied of his own security, was afraid and moved back, Guo Jing thus took the initiative and increased in ardor. Defending this avalanche of strokes, the man began to lose his advantage.
His three mates, who had already defeated several Mongol officers, saw him in difficulty. One among them, armed of a big spear, approached of a jump :
- Big Brother, I come to give you a helping hand!
But the man to the saber had a very high idea of himself: hired at the price of gold by Wanyan Honglie, it was the first time that he made a demonstration of what he was capable of. How could he have accepted, with all the army knowing, the help of his brothers-in-arms, and thus admit to being incapable of defeating a young rookie?
- Don't move, he shouted, admire the dexterity of your Older Brother!
Taking advantage of his distraction, Guo Jing, of a stroke "The Phoenix flies off and the snake bounds", he pointed the tip of the saber the lower part of the his body. The man moved back, but the blade had already split his left sleeve.
- Hey, hey, sneered the man of the spear. Come to admire the dexterity of the Older Brother!
The mockery was obvious: he seemed to be delighted with the misfortune of his brother!
Jebes and all officers had gathered together around Temüjin to protect him. Seeing this martial attitude of these elite warriors, armed with long spears, the two other attackers, of which one used a whip of iron and the other a pair of short axes, didn't dare to make a frontal attack. They heard their brothers-in-arms call them. They thought, these Mongols cannot escape anyway, why not attend to the spectacle first? The three were held side by side, the crossed arms, to look at the fight of their Older Brother with Guo Jing.
The man to the saber moved back and shouted :
- Who is your master? Why do you come to look for your death here? Guo Jing remained in a defending posture but used the language of the Streams and Lakes taught by his masters :
- I am disciple of the Seven Freaks of the Jiangnan. What are your honorable names and surnames?
He had repeated these formulas during a long time, but it was the first time that he used them for real.
- Our names, says the man to the saber while throwing a look toward his brothers-in-arms, even if I told them to you, you would not know them, rookie! In guard!
After these first clashing of weapons, Guo Jing had well felt that his adversary was stronger than he. But the technique taught by his Seventh Shifu was extremely sophisticated and provoked a big apprehension at the enemy, so that he could take the initiative and attack without moving back. They exchanged about thirty strokes again. The tension was extreme: the thousands of soldiers at the bottom of the hill, the men and the officers of Temüjin, the three other attackers, all watched with attention this astonishing fight. The man to the saber wanted to win it, in order to cause a good impression of himself to the Sixth Prince but, the time was passing, he began to get nervous, and his strokes started to be more and more violent. Suddenly, he feinted and attacked the waist of Guo Jing. This one revolved and retorted of a stroke "Turn around to pick the fruit" towards the arm that held the saber. The adversary, seeing that he didn't seem to worry to defend, believed that his hour was going to come: "When your sword will touch its goal, he thought, my saber will have cut you in two already!" However, Guo Jing, sure of his strong neigong, moved his waist to the side, without even move the rest of the body, avoided the saber and planted his sword in his chest.
The man screamed, released his saber and gave a stroke of the hand on the blade of the sword that made it fall on the ground, but the tip of this one had already penetrated a half inch in his chest! He had the his life safe, but his palm was cut and bled abundantly.
Guo Jing would have been able to kill him but, due to the lack of experience, he had let escape the opportunity. "What a pity!" he thought while lowering himself to collect the enemy's saber. He then discerned the hiss of a weapon behind him and heard Jebe to shout :
- Attention, behind!

Without even looking back, Guo Jing executed a backwards kick and blocked the stroke that came towards him. At the same time, he executed a sabre cut down upon the hand of the enemy: it was precisely the stroke "The Swallow Returns to its nest", that was part of the "Southern Mount Sabre" technique taught by Nan Xiren. This kick, delivered without even a glance, demanded absolute precision, otherwise, the enemy's spear would strike him squarely in his heart! Guo Jing had spent months of training to succeed in mastering it.

" Well!" cried the spearman.

He wheeled around and thrust towards Guo Jing's chest. He responded with a "The Drunkard Removes His Boot", that consisted of disarming the spear with a sabre cut, while delivering a kick upon the wrist of the enemy.

This man believed that Guo Jing had trained himself specially to wield a sword and wanted to take advantage of the fact that he had lost his weapon, in order to obtain an easy victory. Now, he had not predicted that the martial arts foundation of this young man would have been so profound, not limited to one weapon, or that he would show himself so skillful with the sabre. He had himself sweated blood and water on the lance for nearly twenty years, his Shifu was one of the better ones in this specialism, so he applied more pressure to Guo Jing.

The young man saw clearly that his enemy's heavy spear sought constantly to strike the sabre in his hand, by very quick blows, this meant that the man looked for a swift and certain victory to assure his fame in front of the armies. But to the end of several tens of exchanges, Guo Jing saw that his opponent grew tired, that his lance slowed down. He therefore deployed the whole power of the "Southern Mount Sabre" , charging, fending, slashing, sweeping... Even the senior brother of the four assailants, an expert wielder of the sabre, was somewhat impressed.

He delivered a stroke "Advancing a pace to seize the basket", separating the lance of the left hand. Normally, he then should have advanced a step and slashed with the sabre directly down upon the enemy. But upon contacting the lance, his palm felt immediately the slowness of his opponent. Since the two years that he practiced neigong, the reactions of his body had become quicker than his thought. As soon as he sensed the weakness of his enemy, without even a moment's reflection, he turned his left palm and seized his opponent's hand by a movement of "Disconnect the sinews and undo the bones"; his sabre, instead of attacking his enemy's body, glided alongside his hand, in such a way that if he did not immediately loosen his grip, he was going to lose his ten fingers. The man pulled with all his strength, but did not succeed in pulling out his lance, when he saw the sabre's blade cutting down to the thumbs of his hands, he feared that he might lose them all and jumped back!

The Six Odd ones had thought that, Yang Tiexin being the direct descendant of the great general Yang Zaixing, he had to be expert in the Yang Family's lance art. Qiu Chuji, for his part, had to pay special attention to this weapon in the training of Yang's son, in order not to fail to the reputation of his ancestors. Thus, while teaching sabre to Guo Jing, Nan Xiren particularly had insisted on the technique "Lone Sabre undoing the Spear", that he had made him learn by heart. And before even to serve to Jiaxing, this technique allowed Guo Jing to realize a brightness blow in the desert!

After this victory, the young man felt stronger again: with a flourish, he threw the sabre down to the foot of the hill, and picked up the lance. The fourth man jumped on him while shouting, attacking with his two short axes. But how could he close with Guo Jing? As to this matter, the specialists always granted on the fact that the longer the weapon, the more it allowed its wielder to dominate the battle: those that used short weapons effectively had to arrive close to their opponent to attain it. Aware that Yang Kang would without a doubt be well trained in spearmanship, the Odd Six had equally given an exhaustive foundation to their disciple. The chosen weapon of Quan Jinfa, the balance, had a similar technique of the one of the lance. Thus, this was him that took in hand this teaching. Under the Song Dynasty, the army had attached great importance to the lance. Without even mentioning the "Yue Family Lance", there were a number of great generals, such Yang Ye or Huyan Zhan, that were experts of the lance.
The technique deployed here by Guo Jing was, precisely, the Huyan Lance, contemporary to this era. His opponent wielded his axes well, but he could not approach to strike. Nevertheless, his blows were sufficiently powerful to worry the young man. He then adopted one of the cunning strategems of his Sixth Shifu and pretended to stumble. The opponent did not fail to take advantage of this occasion: he jumped, shouted out and hacked down with his axes on Guo Jing. He blocked while raising his spear, which was broken in three pieces. But that gave him the time to land a kick in the stomach of the enemy, that propelled him far back. He recovered himself, infuriated, and returned to the attack. Guo Jing, who had no more weapons, had no fear, and fought with bare hands.

The martial brother of the axeman went to the rescue with his whip; they were therefore two against one. This provoked the indignation of all the soldiers. The Mongols, simple and frank as they were, respected above all men of courage. They already were scandalized to see these four men to take it in turns to fight Guo Jing, now. here they were pitting themselves two against one unarmed man! They felt that this was dishonourable, and shouted out for them to stop: Guo Jing was a worthy opponent, they acclaimed him to encourage him.

Bo'orchu and Jebe drew their sabres and joined the battle, so that both sides should be matched in numbers in this battle. The two Mongolians were invincible on the battlefield, but they did not pull their weight, in single combat, against experts in martial arts. They fought out only a couple of exchanges with great difficulty before they were disarmed and had to retreat. Guo Jing had to provide assistance for them, in order to release them.

The four assailants had only one obsession: to kill Guo Jing. "Verily," they did say, " if we lose today facing this novice, how could we show our faces again in the martial arts world [jianghu]? How will we be able to hold our place with the Sixth Prince?"

Then they quietly freed the two Mongol officers to surround the young man. The soldiers upon the summit and at the foot of the hill redoubled their boos and insults, but the four turned a deaf ear to them. The spearman had collected on the ground a javelin, Guo Jing saw striking down at him, at the same time, sabre, javelin, whip and axe! As he was disarmed, he could not parry or riposte, so his only option was to avoid the blows, while deploying his lightness art [Qinggong]. It reçut nevertheless several blows, and tumbled to earth.

The position had become critical for him when cries themselves were heard at the foot of the hill: a tumult agitated the ranks of the army of Senggüm, one saw six individuals nimbly brushing themselves through the soldiers and ascending the hill. The Mongolians thought that they were more lackeys of Wanyan Honglie coming to lend assistance to their comrades, and forcefully showed their disapproval.

The men of Temüjin prepared themselves to fire arrows to prevent them from approaching when Jebe, whose vision was particularly acute, perceived that it was the Jiangnan Odd Six.

" Jing!" he cried, " here are your teachers!"

Guo Jing, who was almost unable to fight on any more, was cheered up.

Arriving first, Zhu Cong and Quan Jinfa realized right away the perilous position their disciple was in. Quan jumped and struck, with a blow of his balance, the four weapons:

" Have you no shame!" he cried.

Feeling a great pain in their hands, the four men realized that a more powerful opponent had just arrived and drew back. Zhu Cong rescued Guo Jing. Meanwhile, the other Odd Ones arrived.

"Shameless ruffians!" scolded Quan Jinfa. " Get lost!"

The man with the sabre was well aware that they had lost the advantage, and that, if they continued the fight, they would be defeated. But if themselves backed down, they would lose face and would no more dare to serve the Sixth Prince!

" Are you the Jiangnan Odd Six?" he demanded to give itself a breathing space.

" Indeed," replied Zhu Cong while laughing. "Who are you?"

" We are the disciples of the "King Dragon of the demonic Harbors"."

The Odd Six were very surprised, for, given that these individuals had openly abused their numerical superiority, they had believed that they were vagabonds without a master. Now, the King Dragon of the demonic Harbors, Sha Tongtian, was a weighty personality in the martial arts world.

" Are you usurping that name, or what?" demanda Ke Zhen'E in an icy voice. " The King Dragon of the demonic Harbors is a renowned personage, how could he have disciples as miserable as you?"

" So," said Ke Zhen'e, " that seems to be true. You really are the "Four Demons of the Yellow River". You occupy nevertheless a certain position, in the Jianghu; how could you lower yourself to attack to four against one, while my disciple is all alone?"

Wu Qinglie said cunningly:

" What, four against one?" he argued. " Isn't your disciple helped by all these Mongols? Indeed, we are four against several hundreds!"

" Third brother," demanded Qian Qingjian to Ma Qingxiong, " this blind person shows himself to be very boastful. Who is this?"

He had asked the question in a low voice, but Ke zhen'e heard him. Very upset, he leapt and struck a blow with his cane at Qian, seized him by the collar and threw him to the bottom of the hill. The three other Demons did not even have the time to react: Ke zhen'e already was upon them, grasping them one after each other and pitching them similarly far away. All the Mongol soldiers cried out joyfully. The Four Demons of the Yellow River, covered with sand, rose painfully to their feet, the limbs aching and shame upon their faces.

At that moment, one saw immense dust clouds rising in the distance, as if tens of thousands of horsemen were charging. A flutter of agitation immediately arose within the army of Senggüm.

Temüjin, delighted to see reinforcements arriving, knew that an iron discipline reigned in the army of Jamuqa, that its officers and soldiers were all hardened, while Senggüm, protected by the reputation of his father, was a less formidable commander in chief. He indicated then the left wing of Senggüm and cried:

" Attack in this direction!"

Jebe, Bo'orchu, Jöchi and Jagataï were the first in the charge. One heard the faraway cries of the warriors of the relief column. Muqali swept his sabre down on the nape of the neck of Dushi and shouted:

" Let us pass! Let us pass!"

Senggüm, who was going to order to his men to block their passage, hesitated upon seeing that his son was menaced. In an eyeblink, the small troop of Temüjin had reached to the foot of the hill. Jebe aimed carefully and loosed an arrow heading for the head of Senggüm. He shielded himself quickly, but the projectile struck his right cheek and he tumbled down from his mount. Seeing their chieftain fall, his men made their escape in pitiful disarray.

Temüjin and his companions broke out of the siege, firing arrows upon those that they pursued. Several li further away, a cloud of dust was apparent: Tolui and his troops. The pursuers had always feared the bravery of Temüjin. Now that they no longer had the advantage of numbers, they turned tail.

In fact, Tolui, being young, had not been able to make himself obey the chieftains and generals, so much as it did not dispose personal seal of his father. He had not therefore been able to make fun that some thousands of young warriors that had well wanted to follow him. Not being stupid, he knew well that the enemy, superior in number, would gobble up these reinforcements. He had then conceived the idea to attach branches to the tails of the horses, so that quantity of dust this raised concealed the weakness of his troops. The ploy was a success. Temüjin reentered his camp in safety.

In patudo 6.4 installment there is a little part missing. If you don't mind, I'll be translate that little part.

I would be using the vietnamese verison of the 2nd edition of the novel to translate.

but warning my english is really bad and my vietnamese is worst. so I hope you all excuse my arrogant

Originally Posted by Patudo

Then they quietly freed the two Mongol officers to surround the young man. The soldiers upon the summit and at the foot of the hill redoubled their boos and insults, but the four turned a deaf ear to them. The spearman had collected on the ground a javelin, Guo Jing saw striking down at him, at the same time, sabre, javelin, whip and axe! As he was disarmed, he could not parry or riposte, so his only option was to avoid the blows, while deploying his lightness art [Qinggong]. It reçut nevertheless several blows, and tumbled to earth.
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The position had become critical for him when cries themselves were heard at the foot of the hill: a tumult agitated the ranks of the army of Senggüm, one saw six individuals nimbly brushing themselves through the soldiers and ascending the hill. The Mongolians thought that they were more lackeys of Wanyan Honglie coming to lend assistance to their comrades, and forcefully manifested their disapproval.

Bo'orchu raises the saber within his hand and yell, “Catch.” He threw it to Guo Jing. Guo Jing pushes himself up to catch it, but the person with the steel whip knock the saber away. The expert using the two axes was still angered from the opponent(Guo Jing)’s last kick; no matter what, he keeps circulating his axes to cut down on Guo Jing. Guo Jing jumps to the side to dodge it, but the saber has already come above his head. Guo Jing bends down to dodge it. His left foot just reaches the ground and had stamped on the head of the person using the axes (I not sure if this is by accident or intention); at the same time, Guo Jing’s left calf was strike by the whip. That one strike sent pain down to the heart and lungs; lucky that strike wasn’t planned out which only carry half the amount of force. There weren’t any bones broken, but his leg is staggered, almost falling down. The man with the axes threw away his axes, and with his two hands held on tightly to Guo Jing’s legs and wouldn’t let go.

Guo Jing couldn’t stand steady, fell down to the ground; his eyes looking at the sunlight. The saber and whip have already come above his head; Guo Jing thinking that he couldn’t survive today. The images of his mom, seven masters, Taoist Master Ma Yu, sworn brother Tolui, and sworn sister Hua Zheng appear in his head, he then grab on tightly to axes person’s chest. With all his strength, he lifts up the axes person and places it on his body for cover. The other three afraid of hurting the axes person withdraw their weapons. Guo Jing’s left hand held onto the opponent’s pressure point, disability his movements. Guo Jing’s right hand held on the opponent’s neck which Guo Jing is hiding under his body.

The three raise their feet and begin kicking onto Guo Jing’s shoulder and feet. Guo Jing just ignore those attacks and thinking, “Even if I die, I would strangle this guy to death.” Guo Jing then gathers his strength, his fingers squeezing harder. At the time, the battle didn’t use any martial art techniques; it’s all relying on brute strength now. The three for the time couldn’t do any to Guo Jing.

Jebe and his men seeing Guo Jing being compress under there; all of them holding weapons rush over to rescue him. The oldest martial art of brothers, the one using the single saber, said to two of his little martial art brothers, “You all go and hold them off, and I will kill this bastard here.” He bended his body down and thrust the tip of the saber toward Guo Jing’s shoulder that was sticking out. The opponent’s right hand is gathering strengths and pushing down. Guo Jing suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder; he then gathers his strength into his back and thighs. Using a stance [the lazy interest on interest](translated by WorldLingo, not sure it is correct) he rolls out two zhangs. At the time, the person who was holding onto Guo Jing’s legs was strangled and couldn’t breath, so he fainted already. Guo Jing pushes his body and jumps up. Seeing the person with the saber rushing over, Guo Jing wanted to counter, but the pain from injuries on his right foot begin to become unbearable. He couldn’t stand steady, so he fall again and roll over.

The other person changes the direction of the saber and now cutting down. Guo Jing suddenly figured something out, with his hand, he reaches out to the back of his waist area and pull out […….](can’t translate the name but I think it is a soft whip) that was used for protection. Laying flat on his back on the ground, he uses the move [Golden Dragon(Jin Long) whip technique(I think it is fa like jian fa)] which cover all of the weak points on his body. The king and god of horse(MaWangShen) Han Bao Ju is a short person; he mainly study method on how to attack lower part of the body. At the times, Guo Jing is fighting on the ground; the strokes of the whip techniques have been precise, being able to control it at will. The other person was screaming and scolding, but he was unable to harm Guo Jing.

Fighting over 20 stances, the fainted one is now awake, and the other two had pushed back the two Mongolian generals and is returning to fight Guo Jing. Things are beginning to become urgent………………………..

I'm having such fun translating I decided to go on to chapter 12-1 which is available from the French site .. sorry if this is out of sequence, please feel free to add to the correct thread when the time comes. please bear with me while I correct my mistakes..

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Hong didn't need to be told twice: without even drinking the wine, he brandished his chopsticks and seized two meat sticks that he engulfed voraciously. An exquisite taste filled his mouth: this was not merely beef! Whenever he chewed, different sensations struck him; sometimes an oily and juicy flavour, sometimes a succulent freshness. Scents succeeded themselves in complex and unpredictable variations, like the blows of a martial arts expert. Startled and delighted, Qi Gong examined the sticks more closely, and saw that each of them was formed by four small different intertwined sticks. He shut his eyes to savour the taste better:

" Hmm," he said, " there is mutton thigh on one stick, another of pig ears of milk, a third one of calf kidney, and the last one...the last one..."

" If you guess," said Huang Rong with a grin, "you're really fantastic..."

She had barely finished her sentence before Qi Gong cried:

" Deer thigh mixed with rabbit!"

" Bravo!" applauded the girl. " Well guessed! "

Guo Jing was completely stunned: " These meat sticks needed so much work!" he said to himself. " And Qi Gong is truly astonishing to have known to distinguish the five different meats! »

" There are only five meat types," Qi Gong went on, " but the blend of pork and mutton gives a certain taste, the deer with beef another... how many variations there is in all, that, I wouldn't like to say..."

" If one does not count the order of the variations," said Huang Rong with a smile, " there are some twenty-five, corresponding to the five times five petals of the plum flower. As the meat stick resembles a flute, then this dish has a name- it is called "Plumflowers fall to the jade flute's song" The « that » in the question means that there is a placement sort to the test. Qi Gong, you passed the test, you are the champion of all the gourmets!"

" Bravo!" the beggar cried to himself.

No one knew whether he applauded the name of the dish or his own skillfulness in discerning the tastes. Then he placed two cherries in a spoon and says while laughing:

" This bowl of lotus-leaf soup, with those bamboo sprouts and cherries, is so pretty to look at, one regrets almost to have to eat it!"

He swallowed and cried: « Ah! », Then he said to himself, astonished: « Eh? ». He took two more and exclaimed again: « Ah! » The freshness of the leaf of lotus, the taste of the bamboo sprouts, sweetness of the cherries, all that, obviously, leaps to the tastebuds, but what's more, the cherries, after having been pitted, had been stuck something..."

" In the cherries," says Qi Gong while hesitating, " what's there?"

He closed his eyes again, trying to recognize the taste:

" This is lark's meat!" he mumbled to himself. " No...if this is not partridge, this is turtledove! Yes, that's it, this is turtledove!"

He opened his eyes, saw that Huang Rong raised her thumb and was all to trust to have found:

" So what's the complex name of this soup with lotus leaves, bamboo sprouts, cherries and turtledove?"

" Elder," said Huang Rong, " you haven't mentioned one more ingredient."

" Ah yes?" Hong said, astonished.

He regarded the soup again:

" Yes," he agreed, " there are these flower petals..."

" Exactly!" confirmed Huang Rong. " The name of this soup, can you imagine it from these five ingredients?"

" If this a riddle game, I declare I've lost. Tell me quickly..."

" I'll give you a clue," said Huang Rong, it suffices you to think about the Book of the Odes!"

" Ah no!" Qi Gong protested, " I know nothing in the books!"

" The flower hints at a beauty's complexion," explained Huang Rong, the cherries to her small mouth, isn't that right?"

" Ah, this is therefore the «Beauty's Soup»?"

" No, said Huang Rong while shaking the head, the bamboo is a symbol of modesty, it therefore characterizes a gentleman, just as the lotus is the most eminent of the flowers. Thus, bamboo and lotus relate to a gentleman."

" Oh," said Qi Gong, " this is therefore the «Gentleman and Beauty's Soup »?"

" What about the turtledove?" said Huang Rong. Indeed, all these elements meet again in the first poem of the Book of the Odes, that finishes thus: "The gentleman is in good company". Thus, this soup is called the "Soup of Good Company"!"

Qi Gong burst out laughing:

" Since there is such a complex and strange soup, it's good that it has such a complex and strange name. Very well! Very well! You're a complex and strange little one yourself, I would like to know which complex and strange father that sired you...In any case, this soup is truly exquisite, much better tasting than the soup with cherries that I ate, approximately ten years ago, in the kitchen of the Imperial Palace."

" You have a pass to the imperial kitchen?" asked Huang Rong. " Tell me, and see if I'll try to prepare something that will please you just as well."

Qi Gong devoured literally, and didn't have time to reply. He halted himself when he had reached the bottom of the bowls:

" In the imperial kitchen," he explained, " there are lots of good things of course, but nothing is worth the two dishes that here... Ah, if, there is well a «Five-flavoured slices of Mandarin duck » that was delicious, but I don't know how it was prepared."

" And it was the emperor that invited you?" asked Guo Jing.

" Absolutely," said Qi Gong while laughing, " the emperor treated me, but he didn't know that! I lived hidden on a big beam of the imperial kitchen for three months, while tasting each of the dishes intended for the emperor. If I found it to my taste, I kept it for me, otherwise, I left it to him! The cooks believed that there were ghosts!"

" This person really is excessively greedy, " thought Guo Jing and Huang Rong to themselves, " but he is also insanely audacious!"

" Little chap," said Qi Gong while laughing, your little girlfriend is the best cook in the world, your happiness is assured! Goodness! Why didn't I meet such a woman when I was young?"

He seemed sincerely sorry.

Huang Rong, with a hint of a smile, prepared the remainder for Guo Jing and for her. One bowl of rice was more than enough for her, while the young man put away four big bowls. As for the exquisite placement, it did not seem to make a difference to him. Qi Gong shook his head while sighing:

" Like a bull chewing on peonies! What a shame! What a shame!"

Huang Rong put a hand in front of her mouth to prevent herself from laughing.

"Bulls... do they like peonies?" Guo Jing asked himself. " There are many bulls in Mongolia, but no peonies, then indeed I have never seen bulls eating peonies. But why does he keep saying 'What a shame'?"

Qi Gong patted his stomach and says:

" Good, you are both practitioners of the martial arts, I clearly saw that right away. The little one, that went to such trouble to prepare such exquisite dishes for me, certainly has bad intentions, such as, for instance, to persuade me to give you some instruction. Is that not correct? Good, I recognize that, after having so well eaten, I would have scruples to leave me without giving something in return. Come, come with me!" He took up his gourd, his bamboo cane, and went out.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong followed until they reached outside of town.

" What would you want to learn?" Qi Gong demanded of Guo Jing.

" Martial arts are so varied," said the young man to himself, "if I want to learn something, how is he sure that he'll be able to teach it to me?"

While he reflected, Huang Rong had begun to speak:

" Qi Gong, his gongfu is inferior to mine, and so he gets angry often, because he's always trying to beat me."

" When do I get angry?" protested Guo Jing.

Huang Rong glanced at him, telling him to be quiet.

" For my part," said Qi Gong while laughing, "I have the impression that all his movements are firm and assured, this that means that it has a good basis of neigong. How would he be inferior to you? Good, why don't you match skills a little?"

Huang Rong moved aside some steps and cried:

" My Jing, come on!"

Guo Jing hesitated again.

" If you don't show what you're capable of," said Huang Rong, " how do you expect this Elder to correct you? On guard!"

She jumps on him and attacked with a palm stroke, Guo Jing blocked the blow, but she already had changed tactics, and attacked with a kick.

" Well done, little one!" Qi Gong said. "Pretty blow!"

" Fight seriously," advised Huang Rong in a low voice.

Guo Jing itself concentrated and executed conscientiously the powerful " Southern Mountain Palm" taught by Nan Xiren. Huang Rong defended herself nimbly, jumping upwards and downwards. Then suddenly, she modified his technique and executed the « Palm of the divine sword falling the hero », created by his father. This palm technique resembled its name, « divine sword », for it was adapted from a sword technique. She shook her arms in all direction, her opponent was encircled by the palm shadows, incapable to determine if they were feigned or real. It was as though if the wind had got up in the wood of fishings, dropping a thousand flowers: the beauty of the gestures resided in their lightness and their aerial grace, so well that Huang Rong resembled a butterfly taking flight. As her neigong lacked again power, its blows were not as violent and also as terrifying as they should have been. It was of little importance, for Guo Jing, stunned by the multiplicity of the shadows in front of his eyes, had lost all means to resist: in some seconds, he received four palm blows, on the two shoulders, on the chest and on the back, but he was not injured, since Huang Rong had not struck with force. She stepped back with a smile.

" Your father is so powerful," said Hong in an icy voice. " Why do you want me to give lessons to this simple-minded one?"

Huang Rong was startled. " According to Father," she said to herself, "since he created this « Palm of the divine sword falling the hero », he not some again never is served himself, how the Venerable Seventh recognized it? »

" Qi Gong," she demanded, "you know my father?"

" Indeed, he is the « Eastern Heretic», and I, «The Northern Beggar », don't you think that we lacked occasions to match skills?"

" He matched blows with Father," Huang Rong said to herself, " and managed to survive, that's really astonishing. Now I understand how the « Northern Beggar » can be ranked alongside the « Eastern Heretic»!"

" And how did recognize you me?" she demanded again.

" Just look at yourself in a mirror!" replied Hong. " Your nose and your eyes, are they not even as those of your father? At first, I did not think about that, I felt only that your face appeared familiar to me, but next your demonstration unveiled the jar to the roses! You believe that this old beggar does not recognize the gongfu of the Peach Blossom Isle? Even if I again never had not seen this Palm, I doubted myself well that alone a crafty fellow as your dad would have been able to invent it. Hehe...and the names of your two dishes, what were they? "Plumflowers fall at the Jade Flute's song", and the « Soup of Good Company", it was doubtless your dad that invented them?"

" You really can read minds," said Huang Rong while laughing. " Then, according to you, my dad is very strong, isn't that right?

" Of course he is powerful," said Qi Gong coldly, " but he is not the most powerful in all the world!"

" Then, surely you're the most powerful in this world?" Huang Rong exclaimed while applauding.

"Not necessarily," Qi Gong said. " Twenty years ago, we met all five of us, Eastern Heretic, Western Venom, Southern Emperor, Northern Beggar and Central Divine, at the summit of Huashan (Mount Hua), to match ourselves. The confrontation lasted seven days and seven nights. Finally, Central Divine revealed himself to be the most powerful, and we all gladly recognized it."

" Who then is this Central Divine?" asked Huang Rong.

" Your father never told you?"

" No. Father said that, in the martial arts world, there are more bad things than good, and that there was no point for girls of good family to hear to speak, then it about it speaks me. And then after, he scolded me very strongly, he didn't love me anymore, so then I ran away. And he doesn't want anything to do with me..."

Her eyes fell, her face sad.

" Ah, that old monster!" Qi Gong swore. " What ...!"

" I won't allow you to insult my father!" Huang Rong exclaimed.

" What a pity that I was always too poor!" exclaimed Qi Gong, while laughing. " No one ever wanted to marry me! Otherwise, I would have a kind girl like you, and never would I have left you..."

" Indeed!" said Huang Rong while bursting out laughing. " If I left, what would you do to eat?"

" Fair enough!" Qi Gong agreed with a sigh. " Well, to answer your question, the Central Divine is Wang Chongyang, master of the Quanzhen Sect. But, after his death, it's difficult to say who's the world's most powerful."

" The Quanzhen Sect?" Huang Rong said. " There is a fellow called Qiu, another called Wang, and yet another named Ma. This are all of the Taoist obtuse one, but I find their gongfu rather pathetic: they fought with people, and in two times three movements did to spread themselves!"

" Ah yes? They were doubtless disciples of Wang Chongyang. It seems that, among his seven disciples, Qiu Chuji is the most powerful... But, it is certain than they are not even close to their martial uncle, Zhou Botong."

Upon hearing this name, Huang Rong was startled; she was about to say something then stopped herself.

Guo Jing, who was himself just satisfied to listen their conversation, interrupted:

" It's true, Master Ma said that they had a martial uncle, but he did not mention the name of this Taoist master."

" Zhou Botong is not a Taoist," Qi Gong replied. " He is a secular person, who was personally taught by his martial brother, Wang Chongyang... Eh, I say, my simple-minded one, you seem me well clumsy! This that your father-in-law, so fine and so crafty, really appreciates you?"

Guo Jing, who had never thought he had a « father-in-law », stammered, without knowing how to reply.

" My father is yet to see him again," said Huang Rong, smiling. " If you could be kind enough to give him some pointers, then, thanks to you, my dad will have some appreciation for him!"

" Little rogue!" Qi Gong grumbled. " Who has learned not even a tenth of her father's gongfu, but who has inherited all his trickery and cleverness! I don't like your flattery and your toadying! And, also I never take disciples! Who wants a stupid one like that? To leaves you, that seem to consider it as a treasure? You planned to get me to teach your little dumb husband! Huh, this old beggar will not fall in such a trap!"

Huang Rong bowed her head, red to the forehead. She never had not applied to learn the martial arts. His father himself was so strong, she not nothing had learned seriously of him, why would she want to learn from Qi Gong? Only, see that the gongfu of Guo Jing was not up to the mark, that his six Shifu considered her to be a «little witch », she rejoiced at having met such a master as Qi Gong, hoping that he would accept passing on a little of his knowledge to his well-loved one. So that, in front of his masters and in front of Qiu Chuji's Taoists, Guo Jing would not have to be scared, like a mouse in front of the cats. Now, Qi Gong was very greedy and always grinning, but he was not stupid, and he had seen through her act all along!

The old beggar, muttering to himself, left without a backwards glance.

The two young people stood silently for a long moment.

"Rong-er," Guo Jing finally said, " this Elder has a rather original character!"

Huang Rong heard a light rustle in the foliage, above their head, and realized that Qi Gong had done a big turn before returning, discreetly, to the top of the tree.

" He's a really kind person," she said then. " And his gongfu is much stronger than my father's."

" He hasn't shown his skills," Guo Jing wondered aloud, " how do you know that?"

" My dad told me so."

" What exactly did he say?"

" He said that, in today's world, there was only one person who could beat him, and that was the Divine Nine Fingered Beggar, Hong Qi Gong. Unfortunately, as this Elder is always is by mounts and by is worth, he has seldom had the occasion to see him and exchange pointers."

In fact, after he had moved away, Qi Gong had deployed his incomparable qinggong and had returned to the top of the tree, high above the heads of the young people. He wanted to hear their conversation, and to assure himself that they had not been sent by Huang Yaoshi (French translation: "Huang the Alchemist") to steal his skills. The words of Huang Rong filled him with pride:

" So," he said to himself, " Huang Yaoshi never wanted to accept my superiority, but deep within himself, he admires me nonetheless!"

How could he have guessed that it was all pure and simple invention from the girl?

" I didn't learn great things from my father," Huang Rong went on, " but that's my fault: I enjoyed having fun too much, and never wanted to apply myself! Now, having had the fortune to meet Elder Hong, if he had wanted to give me some lesson, that would have been again better than with my father! What a shame I offended him, without wanting to!"

And she herself started to sob. At first, she pretended, and Guo Jing tried to console her with softness, then she thought about the death of her mother, the intransigence of her father, and started to truly weep. Qi Gong, atop his tree, in was all returned one...

" I heard Father say," continued Huang Rong while sobbing, " that Elder Hong had an exceptional skill, of incomparable power, of which even Wang Chongyang was afraid. It's called... It's called... How was it called? I can't remember... Anyway, I had it on the tip of my tongue all the time, I wanted to beg him to teach it...to you- it's called...it's called..."

Indeed, she not some knew nothing, and talked big progressively.

Hearing her hesitate, searching without finding, Qi Gong could not hold back, and cried, while jumping to the foot of the tree:

" That is called the «Dragon-mastering Eighteen Palms»!"

Guo Jing and Huang Rong bounded up in surprise, one's surprise was real, the other's was feigned...

"Ah, Qi Gong", Huang Rong cried, " how did you get up in the tree? By flying? Yes, that's it: the «Dragon-Mastering 18 Palms»! Exactly! How could I have forgotten it? Father often told me that the gongfu that he admired most in the world was the «Dragon-Mastering 18 Palms»! "

Qi Gong was delighted:

" Then your dad knows what the truth is! I believed that, after the death of Wang Chongyang, he considered himself to be the most powerful in the world!"

He turned towards Guo Jing:

" Indeed, your gongfu isn't inferior to that of your little friend. The problem is that your palm technique is not at all up to the mark. Good, granddaughter, you return to the inn!"

Huang Rong realized that he was going to give a lesson to Guo Jing, and she went away, all satisfied...

Qi Gong addressed Guo Jing solemnly:

" You will kneel down and promise me: without my permission, you do not must transmit my gongfu to no one else, even to your crafty little woman!

Guo Jing was greatly embarrassed: "If Rong-er insists that I teach her," he said to himself, " how could I refuse?"

" Qi Gong," he says then, " I do not want anymore to learn, so what if she is stronger than me..."

" And why?" asked Qi Gong.

" If she wants me to teach her, I cannot refuse without offending her, and I cannot accept without offending you..."

" Simple-minded though you are," said Qi Gong while laughing, " you have a good heart, and you speak straight. That is good. Very well: I will teach you a stroke called «Resisting the Dragon means Regret» (author's interpretation - original French translation is "The Inflexible Dragon Repents"). I would imagine that Huang Yaoshi has enough pride that he won't, although he would crave to, copy my superior skills. In any case, our schools are completely different, I cannot learn his gongfu, he cannot learn mine..."

At that, he bent his left knee, pivoted and straightened his arm, made a circle with the upright hand and pushed outwards with the other. His palm touched a great pine and « crack », its trunk broke!

Guo Jing stood petrified, shocked by the power contained in this blow.

" This tree cannot move," said Qi Gong, " if it was a human, it would obviously try to avoid the blow. The difficulty of this technique, is precisely to strike so that your opponent cannot, no matter what, avoid it. So well that once you land your blow, «crack », the enemy will collapse like this pine!"

He repeated the demonstration twice, explaining in detail how to concentrate and project the internal energy. It was only one stroke, but the lesson took more than an hour.

Guo Jing was not clever, but he had a good basis in neigong. And to learn a move such as this, made with simple movements but having unequaled power, suited him perfectly. He trained conscientiously and, at the end of two hours, had grasped the majority of this technique...

I will be editing this over the next several days... please be patient with me

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Chapter 12.2

" In that little imp's technique," said Qi Gong, " there are many more feints than real attacks. If you try to follow her, she will run around you like you were a donkey and you will always fall, since you never will be able to be as quick as her. You will think that, after all these feints, the next blow will be real, but no, it will be a feint! And the blow following after, you will believe that it is a feint, but no, she will strike a real blow, and you will be in trouble!"

Guo Jing nodded his head in agreement.

" Thus, to fight her, the clever way is to completely put the thought of whether it is a feint or not out of your mind. When she attacks you with a palm blow, whether it is a feint or not, return it with a blow of "Opposing the Dragon means Regret". Against of the power of your attack, she will be forced to withdraw and defend herself, so well that all her tricks falls to water!"

" And after that?" asked Guo Jing.

" What do you mean, 'and after that'?" Qi Gong replied, his face suddenly darkening. " You great idiot, do you think she is able to withstand this blow that I taught you?"

" But if she can't withstand it, " said Guo Jing, very worried, " won't she be injured?"

Qi Gong shook his head and sighed:

" If, in such a blow one seeks only to send out the force and not to keep it, if one cannot somehow control its lightness or its power, firmness or softness, how can one consider himself a master of these unique 'Eighteen Dragon Mastering Palms'?"

Guo Jing was eager to consent, but he had taken an inner decision: " As I haven't learned to control my force perfectly, I won't fight with Rong-er!"

" You don't believe me?" said Qi Gong. " In that case, try it!"

Guo Jing took up position, imitating his senior's posture, picked a pine with a particularly slender trunk and he struck it a violent blow. The pine was a little shaken but not at all itself broken.

" You big idiot," Qi Gong said, " why are you shaking this tree for? To catch squirrels? Or to drop pinecones?"

Guo Jing, red with shame, laughed with an air of denial, not knowing what to reply.

" I already repeated it for you," said Qi Gong, " it is necessary to put the opponent in a position such that it cannot back up or get away. Your blow just now had enough force, but all it needed was for the pine to shake itself a little for it to escape the full force. It is necessary that you learn to approach and strike in such a way that the tree cannot budge, in order to be able to break it at one go."

This was, for Guo Jing, an illumination:

" Then," he cried joyously, " it's necessary for the force to be particularly swift, delivered in such a way that the opponent has no time to defend himself!"

Qi Gong shot him a black look:

" Absolutely! That goes without saying! You sweated blood for such a long time, and you only now understand this truth? One really can say that you aren't clever! For this stroke, known as "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret"- it's essence is not found in the word "Resisting" but rather in the word "Regret". If one concentrated only on pure violence, brute power, a little forces in the muscles would suffice. But then, how could this technique be admired by Huang Yaoshi? As the old saying goes: « The inflexible Dragon itself repent, the surplus will not last a long time ». This is the reason that if there has transmission, there must be rétention. When you send out a force of ten, it is necessary again to preserve within yourself a force of twenty. The day where you will know to appreciate the full meaning of the concept "Regrets", then you will be able to consider that you have understood thirty percent of this stroke. Just as a fine old wine, that has had time to season: at first taste, it is not strong, but afterwards that it releases its full heady flavour, that explains the concept "Regret"."

Guo Jing didn't understand anything about these matters, but he tried to memorize them, in order for him to calmly reflect upon them later. To learn the martial arts, he always had adopted the same method: "That which others may assimilate in a morning, I will devote ten days!" Then he concentrated on the study of the palm technique.

At first, the pine balanced itself to each of the blows that it received. Towards the end, these became more and more powerful, but the tree moved less and less. He realized that he had progressed and rejoiced somewhat. The face of his palm had become red and swollen, but he did not treat it, and continued to train with determination, never relaxing.

Qi Gong, who had initially laughed at his persistence, had stretched himself on the ground and snored calmly.

Little by little, Guo Jing felt more comfortable, he attained a mastery of his energy, to carry the blow and to keep it. He brought up his breath into his dantian, advanced his palm violently, withdrawing his force immediately, so well that the tree did not move at all. Delighted, the young man repeated in the same way while concentrating his force on the edge of his palm: he heard a creak, and the small pine broke apart.

" Bravo!" cried Huang Rong, who had seen the scene from a distance.

She approached slowly, carrying a heavy shopping basket.

Before even opening his eyes, Qi Gong had smelt the delicious aroma of the food that she brought.

" That feels good! That feels good!" he cried while jumping to his feet.

He seized the basket from the girl's hands and opened the lid. He beheld a dish of roasted frogs thighs, a very fat duck suited to the Eight treasures, and a big bowl of white and immaculate money noodles. With joyful cries, he pounced on the foods, not drying up any praises on this that it devoured to beautiful teeth. But, as his mouth was full, one couldn't understand anything he said. In an instant, the bowls containing the frog thighs and the duck were emptied. Realizing that Guo Jing again had not eaten, the old beggar felt a little ashamed of his gluttony:

As a well-informed gourmet, Qi Gong knew well that it was in the most simple dishes that the true masters really showed their talents. The same applied to martial arts: wondrous execution of the most simple techniques, that was the hallmark of the great masters! These words of Huang Rong delighted him, therefore, so well that his face itself was almost imploring:

" Good, good!" he says. " I always said that you were a brave little girl..do you want me to buy you cabbage and tofu? Please?"

" It's not worth your while", said Huang Rong while laughing. " And then, what you will buy will not suit me necessarily."

" Fair enough," said Qi Gong. " None other than you can choose your ingredients..."

" Just now," Huang Rong said again, " I saw him break the trunk of a pine: he's already more powerful than me!

" Not at all," Qi Gong protested, shaking his head. " He isn't up to standard at all! It's necessary that the point the trunk breaks be perfectly neat. Look, it's all twisted, like a saw's teeth- what pathetic gongfu! And then this pine is as slender as a stick, no, as slender as a toothpick! This kid isn't up to the mark at all!"

" But if he attacks me with this palm," objected Huang Rong, " I will not be able to defend myself. This is all your fault: if he bullies me later, how will I do?"

Qi Gong, who wanted to get back into her good books, did not want to keep annoying her, even though he clearly saw that she was being duplicitous:

" So what, according to you, must I do?"

" Teach me a skill with which I can beat him. After that, I'll cook for you."

" Very well, we're agreed," said Qi Gong. " He learned only a single blow, it's easy to beat him. I will teach you a fist technique called "Wandering Strides"."

No sooner had he finished speaking that he rose to his feet to demonstrate: he jumped to right and to the left, with grace and nimbleness, while his big sleeves flew away...

Huang Rong not some lost a crumb and silently memorized every movement. When the old man had finished the complete chain, she had already half-learned it. After it him given all the supplementary indications, it didn't take two hours for the girl to execute perfectly the thirty-six movements of the "Wandering Strides". At last, she executed the skill at the same time as Qi Gong: they themselves tinrent coast to coast and sprang in concert, the one to right, the other to the left, twirling as a jade swallow and a great eagle gliding in the skies. At the end of the thirty-six movements, they landed on their feet at the same time, regarding each other, and burst into laughter, while Guo Jing applauded vigorously.

" This little one is hundred more intelligent times than you," says Qi Gong to Guo Jing.

" So many movements and variations," marvelled the latter while scratching his head, " how did she learn so quickly? And how does she manage not to forget? Me, when I remember second movement, I've already forgot the first one!"

Qi Gong burst out laughing:

" Indeed you absolutely cannot learn this «Wandering Strides»! Even if you memorized the steps, you are incapable, in the practice, to produce the spirit of striding! Executed so painstakingly and clumsily, this fist technique would become a real chore!"

" You've got a point!" conceded Guo Jing while laughing.

" This «Wandering Strides»," Qi Gong said, " is a gongfu that I practiced in my youth. I have brought it out again to match the direction of the original gongfu of the little one, indeed, it doesn't correspond to the martial arts that I use currently. Thus, I myself haven't used it once during the last ten years."

He wanted to mean that the «Wandering Strides» was a lot less powerful than the «Eighteen Dragon Mastering Palms».

Huang Rong was delighted:

" Qi Gong, if I beat him again, he'll surely be unhappy, so teach him again some blows."

She herself had no real intention to learn, it was only a pretext to push the old beggar to give more lessons to her lover. If she really had wanted to obtain martial arts, she had at her disposal a great master in the person of her father, of which she not never all could have learned.

" This dumb kid," said Qi Gong, " He hasn't even fully digested the single blow that I learned for him. Who too kisses poorly embraces! It suffices that you prepare me a lot of dishes, and I will grant all your wishes!"

" Very well," said Huang Rong, smiling. " Then I leave for the market."

Qi Gong laughed heartily and himself returned to the hostelry, leaving Guo Jing alone in the pine wood, where he returned to training with determination, late into the night.

That night, Huang Rong indeed prepared a cabbage dish and a plateful of tofu for Qi Gong. She had carefully selected the most tender cabbage heart and leaves, than she had done to return with hen grease and filaments of duck leg. But the plateful of tofu was really extraordinary: she had cut a ham in two, then dug twenty-four small spherical cavities, in which ones had placed balls of tofu, before closing the ham and beginning to steam it. At the end of cooking, the whole flavour of the ham had passed into the tofu, while the ham himself was left out. After tasting of this dish, Qi Gong evidently was conquered. This steamed tofu had an equally inspired name of poetry Tang and was called « Full Moon Night on the twenty-four bridges ». If the girl had not had at his disposal the family technique called « The Orchid Skims the Point », her ten nimble and delicate fingers would not have been in a position to cut twenty-four small balls in the fragile mass of the tofu. To do that demanded as much delicacy as to engrave characters on a grain of rice, or to sculpture a boat in a nutshell. It would have been easy to cut pieces of tofu in cube, but where had one seen square full moons?

After the dinner, each went to go to bed. Qi Gong was astonished to see Guo Jing and Huang Rong going to separate rooms:

" Huh? Aren't you husband and wife? Why don't you sleep in the same room?"

Huang Rong, that had not stopped joking with him without reserve, felt all embarrassed. Her cheeks blushing, she looked upset.

" Elder, if you continue to talk nonsense, I won't cook for you tomorrow!"

" What's this?" Qi Gong was astonished. " What did I talk nonsense?"

After an instant's reflection, he realized:

" I'm old and senile, indeed," he said while laughing. " You're clearly dressed as a girl, and not as a wife. You are yourself therefore promised to each other secretly, without the consent of the parents or a matchmaker, or the wedding ceremony. Don't worry, I will be your go-between. If your dad does not accept, I'll provoke a duel and we'll fight, my goodness! for seven days and seven nights if we have to, until he yields!"

Huang Rong was precisely worried about this matter: she feared that her father would not like Guo Jing. The words of the old beggar filled her with joy and she returned to her room, her face radiant.

The next day, Guo Jing went back to the pinewood at dawn. He practiced to about twenty rounds with much sweat, but rejoiced at the progress he accomplished, when he suddenly heard a voice speaking behind the trees.

" Shifu," says a voice, "we must have travelled more than thirty li this time, isn't that right? "

This voice seemed very familiar to Guo Jing, who then saw four individuals appear, of which the first one had white hair and ruddy complexion: it was none other than his number one enemy, Liang Ziwong, the Thousand-Year Ginseng! He pesta internally and took to his heels.

But Liang Ziwong already had recognized him:

" Where do you think you're going?" he cried while thrusting himself forward in pursuit.

The three other men were his disciples. See their Shifu running after an enemy, they themselves split up in order to surround the young man.

" I need to get out of the pinewood and get back to the inn in order to be safe," said Guo Jing to himself, while running even faster.

The first disciple of Liang Ziwong barred the way and shouted, while crossing the two palms:

" Little peasant, kneel!"

He attacked with a technique of qinna taught by his master and sought to seize Guo Jing to the chest. The young man folded his left leg lightly, the straight arm turned in, made a circle with his right palm and struck powerfully outward: it was precisely the blow that it had just learned, "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". His opponent feels the sudden power, and attempted to dodge it, but it was so powerful that it broke his arm, throwing him a distance of six or seven feet, and made him lose consciousness. Guo Jing, that never would have believed that his blow was going to be so strong, demeura forbids, before resuming his race.

Surprised and irritated, Liang Ziwong jumped in front of him. Guo Jing had just left the pines when he found the immortal one in front of him. Very frightened, he himself got in position and launched once more his "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". Liang Ziwong did not know this blow but, in front of its power, knew that he could not handle it. He had to roll to earth to avoid it. Guo Jing took the opportunity to flee.

When Liang Ziwong itself recovered, the young man had reached the front of the inn and screamed:

" Rong-er, disaster! Here's the evil one that wants to drink my blood!"

Huang Rong poked her head out the window. " How did this old monster get here?" she asked herself. " That's good, I'll try out on him this new "Wandering Strides" that I have just learned."

" My love," she cried. " Don't be scared of this old crust. Begin the fight, I'll come to help you, we'll teach him a good lesson!"

" Rong doesn't know the power of this old monster," said Guo Jing to himself, " that's why she speaks so lightly." But Liang Ziwong already jumped on him. In front of the violence of the attack, the young man had no other option but to launch once more his "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". Liang Ziwong twisted and dodged several feet to the side, but his straight arm was almost touched by the breath of the palm, that left a burning and painful track. The immortal one, frightened inside, was amazed that this kid, in the space of some months, had progressed so much. " This must be," he said, " due to the absorption of the precious blood of the snake." This thought the mit outside him and he jumped to the attack. Guo Jing defended himself again with the same blow. Conscious that he could not oppose it, Liang Ziwong retreated, but, seeing that the young man did not have at his disposal other such fearful blows to press his advantage, his fear lessened:

" Little idiot," he cried, " Do you know only that one blow?

Guo Jing tumbled right into his trap:

" Even this one blow," he replied, " you still won't be able to avoid it!"

And he advanced, launching once again his "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". Liang Ziwong dodged and jumped behind Guo Jing to attack it. He turned and attempted to attack again same manner, but his opponent was itself, once of more, slipped behind him. Thus, the young man, that knew only to attack in front, was completely perturbed and did not arrive anymore to face.

Seeing him on the verge of losing, Huang Rong cried:

" My love, let me take me care of him!"

She sprang forward and interposed herself between the two fighters, attacking Liang Ziwong with palms and kicks, who returned the attack. Guo Jing retreated two steps to watch them. Huang Rong had well learn this wonderful technique that was the «Wandering Strides», but, besides the fact that she had obtained it too recently to truly master it, Liang Ziwong was in fact a lot stronger one than she. Thus, without the protection given by her soft armour, she already would have received several blows and certainly would have been injured long ago. Before even to have deployed the thirty-six movements of the "Strides", she was located already in bad posture. The disciples of Liang Ziwong, surrounding their elder injured brother, observed the fight and, see their Shifu was winning, shouted out, the better to encourage him.

Guo Jing prepared himself to assist Huang Rong when all of a sudden Qi Gong was heard to shout, from behind the window:

" His next blow is called "The nasty dog blocks the road"!"

Very surprised, Huang Rong lives that Liang Ziwong, the legs firmly spread in the "Rider Stance", the stretched fists horizontally, indeed taking the stance of the "Terrible Tiger blocks the road". She couldn't prevent herself from laughing internally. "Qi Gong changed the name of this blow! But how was he able to guess that this would be that one?"

She heard then the old beggar shout again:

" And his next blow is "The stinking snake inhales water"!"

She realized that it was a matter of the «Green Dragon inhales water », for which one lengthened the fist forward, this that unveiled a rift to the back, in the back. Venerable seventh had at pains finished to speak that she already had slipped herself behind Liang Ziwong. He attacked effectively with « Green Dragon inhales water », but as the girl, warned in advance, had the advantage and attacked from the back, he made himself safe only because of his exceptional technical mastery, that allowed him to change position right in the middle of a movement, and to fly himself further away. He landed on the tips of his toes, surprised and furious at once:

"Who is the powerful master that hides in the shack?" he cried towards the window. "Why don't you show yourself?"

But there was only silence behind the window. Liang Ziwong lost himself in wonderment: " How could this person succeed in predicting my blows?"

Fortified by the support of a great master, Huang Rong now feared nothing: she regained the initiative and launched herself to the attack. Liang Ziwong resorted to killer blows so that the girl herself was forced to give up the upper hand.

" Don't fear anything!" Qi Gong cried then. " He will do as a «Monkey with a rotten bottom climbs to the tree »!

Huang Rong burst out laughing, leva the fists and attacked downwards. Liang Ziwong effectively had sketched a « phenomenal Gorille climbs to the tree », and had, after to have jumped in the air and attack downwards. But Huang Rong had preceded him, then if he continued to jump, that meant that he simply was going to offer the head to the falling fists! He had to change his technique immediately... If, in a fight, the opponent knew in advance all your blows, it would not take long for him to overcome you! The immortal one, fortunately for him, was a lot stronger one than Huang Rong, and this allowed himself to extricate himself from a bad situation at the last moment. Suddenly, he jumped back and shouted:

" If you persist not to show yourself, I won't hesitate to be ruthless towards this girl!"

Changing his tactics, he rained down his blows like hail in a storm, so much so that Huang Rong absolutely could not adorn, and that Qi Gong had not the time to call out his blows.

Seeing his loved one in danger, reduced to dodging right and left, Guo Jing leapt forward and sent out once more his "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". Liang Ziwong jumped back.

" My love," said Huang Rong, " give him again three blows!"

She turned and went back into the inn.

Guo Jing took position, awaiting the approach of Liang Ziwong and, no matter what technique the Immortal employed, he returned it with a "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret". His opponent not some could but, furious and entertained at once: " Where on earth," he asked, " did this dumb little fellow learn this strange blow? And why does he know only that one!"

But even if he knew only one blow, the dumb little fellow held it in respect and it there could not nothing. All two restèrent therefore immobilized on their position.

" Silly fellow!" Liang Ziwong cried then. " You'd better watch out!"

He jumps on his young opponent, who turned to his many times tested formula. Now Liang changed direction squarely flight and sudden struck out three «Acupoint Piercing Bones», that sped towards the young man in three different directions. Guo Jing hurriedly dodged, Liang Ziwong took advantage to thrust himself forward with the speed of light, and seized him by the nape of his neck. Very frightened, the young man struck an elbow blow at the chest of his opponent but, to his great astonishment, he felt the impression that his elbow had sunk itself in a soft mass, like cotton.

Liang Ziwong prepared himself to deal a fatal blow when he heard Huang Rong scream:

" Old monster! Look here!"

Knowing that she was very crafty, he decided not to take any risk: he struck Guo Jing upon the «Jianjing» point, so that he was unable to move, before turning his head. He saw then the girl advancing slowly, and anxiously saw that in her hand was a bamboo stick, its green as clear as jade, which froze him in terror.

" Hong..." he stammered, stunned. " Grand Master Hong!"

" So, why haven't you released him!" threatened Huang Rong.

At the time, when he had heard someone calling out his blows before he even carried them out, Liang Ziwong already was very surprised, but he had not thought that it could be Qi Gong. Now, at the appearance of the green bamboo stick, he realized that the voice behind the window was indeed that of the person that he dreaded most in the world. Terrified, he quickly freed Guo Jing.

Brandishing the stick, Huang Rong approached him and said severely:

" Qi Gong wants to ask you how, while he deigned to speak, you dare again to do evil here? What impudence!"

Liang Ziwong tumbled to his knees:

" Your servant did not know that Grand Master Hong was there," he stuttered. " Even if I had courage, I never would have dared to offend Grand Master Hong."

" This fellow is, nonetheless, very powerful," Huang Rong said to herself, astonished. " How is it that he is so terrified of just the mention of Qi Gong's name? And why does he call him Grand Master Hong?"

But she didn't allow any of her thoughts to appear and assumed a threatening air:

"And which punishment do you deserve?"

" I beg you to please say some words in my favor with Grand Master Hong! Said him that Liang Ziwong recognizes his great sins and that he implores Grandmaster Hong to spare his life!"

" To say a word in your favor, why not? But several words, this would be really too much to ask. In the future, you mustn't cause trouble to both of us."

" Your servant offended you in his ignorance," said Liang Ziwong. " I you taken of not to hold some for me harshness. In the future, indeed, I will not dare anymore to do..."

Huang Rong, very proud of herself, smiled and reentered the inn, hand in hand with Guo Jing. They found Qi Gong sitting in front of a well-laid table, a knife in the left hand, chopsticks in his right hand, in the process of treating himself.

" Qi Gong," said Huang Rong while laughing. " He's on his knees and doesn't dare to move even a hair."

"Give him a hiding to unwind you, he certainly won't dare to defend himself."

By the window, Guo Jing saw Liang Ziwong kneeling petrified, with his three disciples behind him, also kneeling, all four looking miserable. He felt pity for them and said:

" Qi Gong, why not forgive them?"

" Little good-for-nothing without character," Qi Gong reprimanded. " Someone comes here to trouble you, you aren't capable of defending yourself, I you except the placement and you want to forgive to your enemy! To what that resembles, I ask you?

Guo Jing wasn't sure how to reply.

" I'll take care of him," said Huang Rong while laughing.

She took up the bamboo stick and went out of the inn. Liang Ziwong remained kneeling respectfully, his face full of fear.

" Qi Gong said that you persist to do evil," thundered Huang Rong, " and that was absolutely necessary to cut your throat today! Fortunately, my dear Jing has a good heart, he did not stop pleading your cause, so much so that Qi Gong, finally, agreed to spare you."

She wielded the stick and struck him a blow on the buttocks while screaming:

"You go in!"

Liang Ziwong addressed himself to the window:

"Grandmaster Hong! I want to see you, to thank you for sparing my life!"

Only silence greeted his plea. Liang Ziwong did not dare to rise, and continued to kneel humbly. Shortly after, Guo Jing came out and waved his hand:

" Qi Gong is asleep," he said in a low voice. " Do not disturb him..."

Then Liang Ziwong got up, shot a hate-filled look at the two young people, and left, along with his disciples.

Huang Rong, heart full of joy, re-entered in the inn. She saw Qi Gong laying on the table while snoring. She touched him on the shoulder to awaken him:

"Qi Gong!" she cried. " Your magic precious stick has a wonderful strength, now you not some done nothing... Why would you give it to me?

Qi Gong raised his head, yawned and said:

- You about it speak with your comfort! he says while laughing. " That is the work instrument of your old man! A beggar without a dog-beating stick, what would that look like?"

Huang Rong continued to tap it while simpering:

" You have such powerful gongfu! Those wicked ones flee just from hearing your name, to what serves you again to have this stick?"

" You rotten imp! said Qi Gong while laughing. " Quickly prepare me some dishes, I'll explain it for you presently..."

Huang Rong obeys and quickly went into the kitchen to prepare three small dishes.

Right hand holding a wine cup, left hand squeezing the bone of a ham that he gnawed slowly, Qi Gong began:

- The proverb says: « That resembles itself assembles itself ». The full richards to the have form a clan, the outlaws of the highway who rob the passersby form a clan, us others that freely pass our lives begging food leftovers, let us form also a clan...

" I understand," exclaimed Huang Rong while clapping her hands. " That old Liang called you «Grand Master Hong », are you thus the chief of the beggars!"

" Precisely. Us beggars, one we walk over, one launches the dogs on us, if one did not group together oneself in a band, how could we survive? The ordinary citizens, in the north of the country, are for the moment under the authority of the Jin; in the south, they are under the authority of the Song emperor; but every beggar in the country..."

" Whether they be in the south or the north," interrupted Huang Rong, " are placed under your authority!"

" Eh, yes!" Qi Gong agreed with a smile. " This bamboo stick and this gourd have been from generation to generation, since the end of the Tang dynasty until today, in other words, for several centuries ago, between the hands of the Grand Master of the Beggar Clan. This is as the jade seal of the little emperor, or the seal of now mandarin chinese."

" Just as well you didn't give it to me," said Huang Rong, sticking out her tongue.

" Why not?"

" If every little beggar in the country came to find me, for me to sort out their affairs, that would be a catastrophe!"

" You have good reason," Qi Gong sighed. "As I am of a lax and lazy nature, the weight of grandmaster of the Beggar Clan is really too heavy for my shoulders. But I can't find a person to whom I can entrust it. Then I have well to do with... "

" So that's why old Liang fears you so much: if all the beggars of the country came to give trouble to him, he would be in big trouble. If each one dropped a louse in his collar, that would trouble him until the end of his days!"

Qi Gong and Guo Jing burst out laughing.

" No," the old beggar said at last, " not just for that; he's also scared of me."

" What is that?"

" Nearly twenty years ago, he was committing an evil deed when I fell upon him..."

" What evil deed?"

" That old monster," said Qi Gong hesitantly, " believed a section of the adage «Gather the yin to nourish the yang... » He had obtained for himself several virgins, of which he violated their bodies, supposedly to obtain immortality."

" What's that, to violate the body?" asked Huang Rong.

The girl, whose mother had died in childbirth, had been taught by her father. After the treachery and escape of Chen Xuanfeng and of Mei Chaofeng, Huang Yaoshi, furious, had crippled his other disciples and they had all fled. No others remained on Peach Blossom Island than some mute servants. No one had therefore spoke to the girl of the things that happened between men and women. Since that she had met Guo Jing, she felt a joy and an unspeakable softness in his company, a melancholy and an unbearable solitudes when she was separated of him even for an instant. She believed that to be husband and wife meant nothing more than never to part from each other, that was why for so long she had considered Guo Jing as her husband, without knowing the nature of conjugal relations.

Her question therefore put Qi Gong in great difficulty.

" To violate the body of the virgins," the girl insisted, " this is to kill them?"

" No," Qi Gong responded, " when a woman undergoes a such outrages, this is sometimes more painful than the death itself. The proverb says: «To be dishonoured is grave, to die of hunger is nothing». That says well what I want to say..."

Huang Rong did not understand not yet:

" Does that mean to cut the ears or the nose with a knife?"

" Peuh!" said Qi Gong, bothered, " not at all! Little imp, you better ask your mother when you get back home..."

" My mother is dead..."

" Ah!" said the beggar. " Then you will understand after your wedding night with our silly young fellow!"

Huang Rong reddened, understanding at last that it was a matter of shameful things. She said softly:

" If you do not want to explain, so worse... Therefore, you fell on the old monster in the process of committing this evil deed, than itself is it passed then?"

Qi Gong, relieved to see that she did not put anymore embarrassing questions, continued:

" Well, I intervened, that's right. I caught this rascal, I gave him a good thrashing and pulled out all his hair! After, I obliged it to bring back these girls at their place and to promise solemnly that he would not recommence ever again. If I resumed it to do that, he would regret ever having been born! It would seem that, for all these years, he never broke his promise, that's the reason why I spared him today. He said then, goodness, did his hair grow back?"

" Oh yes! said Huang Rong while bursting out laughing. Pull out all the hair of the head, that would have been really funny!"

All three finished the meal.

"Qi Gong," Huang Rong then said, " now, even if you wanted to give me this bamboo stick, I wouldn't want it. But we cannot anyway to remain close to you all our lives! Now, what if we come across this Liang fellow, and he says to us: "Well, little brat, last time, you sheltered yourself under the name of Grand Master Hong and you hit me with his bamboo stick, today I'm going to avenge myself: I will pull out you all your hair!" That will we do then? When my Jing fought with him, his one and only blow, "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret", that is of course powerful, but that means little all the same, no? I am sure that Liang said in his heart: " Grandmaster Hong has gongfu of an infinite power, but when it begins teaching to a disciple, this is really not that terrible!"

" I know well," said Qi Gong, " that you hurl all these stupidities, provoking and threatening, so that I'll sign off all my skills to you two! Well, so long that you get ready some good dishes for me, I won't disappoint you."

Huang Rong, delighted, took Qi Gong by the hand to go in the pine wood.

Qi Gong imparted then to Guo Jing the second blow of the «Eighteen Dragon-Mastering Palms», called " Flying Dragon in the Heavens". In this blow, it was necessary to jump in the air and strike from the top down, an extremely powerful attack. Guo Jing took three days to assimilate it. During these three days, Qi Gong took the snack occasion to about ten more delicious placement them a than the others. Huang Rong, for its part, asked nothing from him for herself; provided that he consented to teach her loved one, she was more than enough satisfied.

In the space of a month, Qi Gong had taught to Guo Jing fifteen of the «Eighteen Dragon-Mastering Palms», from "Resisting the Dragon Means Regret" to "Sighting the Dragon in the Field".

These "Eighteen Dragon-Mastering Palms" were Qi Gong's ultimate skills. He had originally learned them from his Shifu, instrumental invented himself. The number of blows of course was limited, but each of them was full of exceptional power. At the time of the first Huashan tournament, when the five supreme Masters had measured themselves, these Eighteen Palms were not completely up to the mark, but they had already given rise to respect and general admiration. Thereafter, Qi Gong often had expressed his regrets: if he had concentrated all his efforts to perfect this technique some years earlier, the title of "First in the Martial World" might not have been fallen to the grandmaster of the Quanzhen Sect, Wang Chongyang, but to himself!

At first, Qi Gong had no intention to pass on more than two or three of these Eighteen Palms to Guo Jing, which would already have far sufficed for him to defend himself. But Huang Rong was really an unparalleled cook; every day she prepared new dishes of exceptional taste, never repeating herself, and the old beggar could not resolve himself to leave. So, day after day, he ended up teaching the fifteen blows. Guo Jing did not understand quickly, but the little that he learned, he retained, and repeated day and night, working with determination, so well that he achieved a good mastery of the fifteen blows, lacking no more in power than time and practice alone could give to him. Thus, in a little more of a month, his gongfu had achieved such progress that he was no longer the same person!

That morning, after breakfast, Qi Gong said, while sighing:

" My children, we've been together for more of a month, it's time we took leave of each other."

" Ah, but no," protested Huang Rong. " I have many more small dishes for your taste..."

" There is not endless banquets, but there is an infinity of dishes... I never have, of all my life, taught anybody for more than three days. This time, I've done that for more than thirty days! If this continues, it'll be a catastrophe!"

" How's that?"

" Well, you will strip me of all that I know!"

" You've started a good work, why not go to the end! Teach him therefore the Eighteen Palms, that would be an accomplishment!"

" Peuh, that would be an accomplishment for you two, but not for me..."

Huang Rong, full of worry, wondered what strategems she could invent to get Qi Gong to teach the three remaining blows to Guo Jing, but the old beggar did not give her the time: hitching his gourd over the back again, he left without speaking further.

Guo Jing chased after him, but Qi Gong went so quickly that he had disappeared in a wink. The young man raced to the pines and cried, "Qi Gong, Qi Gong!" Huang Rong had followed him and joined her cries to his.

Sudden, a shadow arose from the pines, it was Qi Gong, who addressed them angrily:

- That do You Have, dirty kids, to stick me to the truss? If you want me to teach you more, this is absolutely impossible!

" You have already taught us too much," said Guo Jing. " I am more than satisfied, how could I wish to want more? It's only that I did not thank you once again for your kindness!"

He knelt then and kowtowed, striking the ground with his forehead, several times.

Qi Gong paled:

" Stop," he cried, " That which I taught you, is nothing other than a suitable payment for the small dishes that she prepared for me. There has never been a relationship of master and disciple between us!"

At that, he knelt also and himself kowtowed in front of Guo Jing. Stunned, he attempted to kowtow again, but Qi Gong extended a hand and touched on a point under the armpit of the young man, who remained petrified, legs half bent. The beggar released him only after to have prostrated itself four times in front of him:

" Remember, you," he cautioned, " Never mention that you kowtowed to me and that you are my disciple!"

Understanding that he had a stubborn character, Guo Jing didn't attempt to contradict him.

" Qi Gong," sighed Huang Rong, " you were so good for us, now we must part. I had the intention to prepare you again small dishes, when we would review ourselves, but... Unfortunately... I fear that this be not anymore possible... "

" And why not?" Qi Gong asked.

" Many people want to do evil to us... leaving aside that old monster Immortal Ginseng, there are many more evildoers! One day, we will end up dying at their hands!"

" What is death?" Qi Gong said with a smile. " Everyone must die one day."

" Of course," replied Huang Rong while shaking the head, " it's not a big deal to die, but I'm scared that they would capture me and, learning that I received your teaching and that I cooked for you, they would force me to do them all these flat vouchers that I prepared you. This would be a stain on your reputation!"

Qi Gong knew well that the girl was trying to trick more skills out of him, but, at the thought that someone might force her to cook, while himself could not taste these succulent dishes, he couldn't prevent himself from feeling great anger.

"Who are these villains that scare you?" he demanded.

" There is," replied Huang Rong, " a certain old monster of the Yellow River, Sha Tongtian. He eats in such a disgusting way! What a shame it would be for him to have my delicious dishes!"

" There's no need to fear Sha Tongtian!" said Qi Gong while shaking his head. " In one or two years, this dummy Guo Jing will be stronger than him. There's nothing to fear..."

But when Huang Rong mentioned the young master of White Camel Peak, Ouyang Ke, Qi Gong seemed taken aback. He questioned her on the techniques and moves of this new opponent, before nodding his head:

" That's indeed him!"

In front of the seriousness of his face, the girl s'inquiéta herself:

" He's very powerful, isn't that right?"

" There's nothing to fear from Ouyang Ke!" said Qi Gong. " It's his uncle, the old Venom, that is fearsome."

" The old Venom? But no matter how fearsome, he cannot be stronger than you, isn't that right?"

Qi Gong didn't reply. He thought for a while, before he stated:

" At the time, we were equals. But that was twenty years ago... For those twenty years, he's surely trained harder than me, who's lazy and gluttonous. Huh, but to beat this old beggar, nonetheless, won't be easy... "

" Then he certainly can't beat you!"

" We will see," said Qi Gong, shaking his head. " Good, since the nephew of the old Venom, Ouyang Feng, is after your head, we must be careful. I will eat of your cooking for fifteen days. But let's make one thing clear: if, during these fifteen days, you present the same dish to me twice, I'll get up and say good-bye..."

Huang Rong was delighted. She was decided to give the measure of all sound talent: thus, not only she never repeated the same dish, but she proposed even infinite variations in the accompaniment in noodles and rice, in different takings to every meals: fried doughnuts to the frying pan, steamed stuffed dough boulettes, ravioli to the vapor, flat noodles in broth, Cantonese rice, soft rice, rice cake slimy, Rice, tofu, etc. Qi Gong, for his part, himself took pains to teach the two young people the art to adapt itself to all the fight positions, to react and to better defend themselves. Only, he never taught the three blows lacking in the « Eighteen Dragon-Mastering Palms». Guo Jing deepened of course his mastery of the fifteen blows, but he increased equally in the power of all the martial arts he had learned with the Jiangnan Odd Six. Qi Gong had, before the age of thirty-five, practiced a very diversified gongfu, learning innumerable fist techniques and of palm, among which ones he deliberately chose bizarre types for Huang Rong, but it was just as a joke. These techniques were beautiful to look at, but their real effectiveness in battle were far inferior to the fifteen Palms, simple and direct. Huang Rong herself looked only to have fun, without really to invest herself in this apprenticeship.